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BEGINNINGS 


IN  *The 


PHILIPPINE 

ISLANDS 


John  F.  Goii^'ho** 

Nun*^- 


THE  AMERICAN 
BAPTIST 
MISSIONARY  UNION 
BOSTON 
I 902 


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J^ohn  F.  Gonch#*r 

Nn 

BEGINNINGS 

• • ■ IN  THE  ■ • • 

Ipbiltppine  Hslanbs 


Discovery  and  Extent. 

HE  Philippine  Islands  were  dis- 
covered in  1521  by  the  great 
explorer  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
Magellan,  and  named  after  his 
master,  Philip  II.,  King  of  Spain.  They 
extend  from  about  4“  to  20“  north  latitude 
and  from  about  i i6"to  126“  east  longitude, 
and  form  a part  of  the  great  Malaysian 
Archipelago  to  the  southeast  of  China 
and  Siam.  The  total  area  of  the  Philip- 
pines is  140,000  square  miles,  or  about 
the  same  as  the  Japanese  Empire.  The 
islands  number  more  than  one  thousand, 
but  of  these  only  about  a dozen  are  of  a 
size  sufficient  to  maintain  any  consider- 
able population.  Luzon  is  the  largest, 
having  an  area  of  44,400  square  miles, 
and  holds  more  than  one-half  of  the  whole 
population  of  the  group. 


3 


Climate  and  Productions. 

As  the  islands  extend  over  so  many 
degrees  of  latitude,  the  climate  varies 
somewhat,  the  north  point  of  Luzon  being 
as  far  removed  from  the  southern  island 
of  the  Sulu  group  as  is  the  north  of  Eng- 
land from  the  south  of  Italy.  Being  all 
contained  in  the  tropics,  however,  it 
does  not  differ  materially  and  most  of  the 
time  it  is  intensely  hot. 

The  natural  resources  of  the  Philip- 
pines are  immense,  with  mines  of  coal 
and  iron,  as  well  as  other  minerals,  and 
an  abundance  of  all  the  products  of  the 
tropics.  Cotton,  sugar,  rice,  hemp,  cof- 
fee and  tobacco,  and  the  dense  forests  of 
valuable  woods,  are  the  chief  wealth  of 
the  islands. 

The  Capital. 

Manila,  the  capital  of  the  whole  group, 
is  situated  on  the  main  island  of  Luzon, 
and  has  a population  of  more  than  200,000 
inhabitants.  It  is  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  frequented  harbors  of  the  east- 
ern seas,  and  being  a large  manufactur- 
ing place,  has  an  extensive  and  increasing 
trade  with  the  leading  commercial  coun- 
tries of  the  world.  The  city  has  a Roman 
Catholic  cathedral  built  as  long  ago  as 


4 


i654-  noted  for  its  peal  of  fourteen  bells, 
which  get  little  rest. 

The  People. 

The  population  of  the  Philippines  is 
variouslj-  estimated  at  from  seven  to  ten 
millions,  although  no  accurate  census 
has  ever  been  taken.  The  native  people 
are  of  the  Malay  tribe,  copper  colored, 
a little  indolent,  easy-going  but  not  lazy. 
They  work  chiefly  on  sugar  plantations 
and  earn  onlj-  from  $S-°°  to  $10.00  a 
month,  some  indeed  not  reaching  the 
former  sum.  There  are,  however,  many 
different  peoples  in  the  islands. 

First,  the  lordly  class, — the  land  own- 
ers and  head  men  of  the  districts.  The 
majority  of  these  are  Mestizsos,  i.  e.,  a 
mixture  of  Spanish  and  Asiatic.  This 
class  is  more  or  less  well  educated, 
speaks  Spanish  and  owns  all  the  personal 
property  and  real  estate  in  the  islands 
except  that  held  by  the  Catholic  Church. 

Second,  the  laboring  class,  who  are 
practically  slaves  of  the  land  owners  and 
who  are  divided  into  various  tribes,  the 
most  important  of  which  are  those  known 
as  the  Tagalos,  numbering  some  3,000,000 
and  occupying  the  islands  of  Luzon  and 
Mindoro,  and  the  Visayans,  estimated  at 


5 


2,500,000,  occupying  the  central  or  Vis- 
ayan  group.  This  latter  tribe  is  the  one 
among  which  our  Baptist  missionaries 
have  begun  their  work. 

Third.  In  the  cities  are  numbers  of 
Chinese,  and  in  the  mountains  and  re- 
mote forest  lands  wild  tribes  are  found, 
who  are  uncivilized  heathen. 

Education. 

Education  in  the  Philippine  Islands  is 
decidedly  in  advance  of  education  in 

Spain.  In  t h e 
latter  country 
only  seventeen 
per  cent  of  the 
people  can  read 
and  w’rite  ; i n 
the  former  onlj" 
seventeen  per 
cent  cannot. 
Filipinos  who 
have  studied 
abroadhave 
taken  high 
rank.  The  chief 
hindranceto  the 
advancement  of  the  people  has  been  the 
all  powerful  influence  of  a corrupt  priest- 
hood. 


6 


Present  Conditions  — Religious  and  Social. 

No  sooner  had  the  islands  been  dis- 
covered by  Magellan  and  handed  ov^er  to 
Spain,  than  the  friars  — members  of  mon- 
astic brotherhoods  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  flocked  thither  and  began  bap- 
tizing the  natives  with  great  zeal,  and 
becoming  from  the  first  the  virtual  rulers 
of  the  new  colonies.  “All  the  king’s 
subjects  shall  be  Catholics’’  was  the 
tyrannical  dictum  of  the  King  of  Spain, 
and  no  territory  was  considered  entirely 
conquered  until  its  inhabitants  had  been 
baptized.  Of  the  whole  population,  in 
round  numbers,  about  two-thirds  are 
Roman  Catholics,  the  remainder  being 
perhaps  equally  divided  between  Moham- 
medans and  pagans.  The  Roman  Catho- 
lics are  all  more  or  less  civilized,  as  is 
also  a considerable  portion  of  the  non- 
Christian  population. 

Of  the  Roman  Catholics  at  large  it 
may  be  said  that,  with  few  exceptions,  a 
bitter  hostilit}'  prevails  between  them 
and  the  Spanish  prie.sts,  and  especially 
the  friars;  for,  while  some  of  the  latter 
are  reputed  to  be  good  men,  as  a class 
they  bear  a most  unsavory  reputation. 
They  have  oppressed  and  wronged  the 


7 


people  for  centuries,  and  knowing  but 
too  well  what  was  in  store  for  them  when 
Spain  gave  up  the  islands,  no  less  than 
eight  hundred  of  them  immediately 
sailed  for  other  lands.  Some  difficult  ^ 
and  delicate  questions  will  demand  settle- 
ment concerning  the  immense  wealth 
which  these  religious  orders  have 
amassed,  but  for  the  present  we  may  re- 
gard their  influence  upon  the  people  as 
greatly  diminished. 

The  mass  of  the  people,  however,  while 
opposed  to  their  priests,  must  still  be  re- 
garded as  Roman  Catholics.  Their 
religion  is,  to  a great  extent,  a mere 
superstition.  Their  religious  teachers 
have  long  been  noted  for  their  amazing 
ignorance,  and  as  might  be  expected,  the 
mass  of  the  people  have  not  been  able  to 
take  a position  in  advance  of  their  lead- 
ers. So  while  the  larger  part  of  the  Fili- 
pinos are  counted  as  Christians,  and  a 
good  many  are  devout  Roman  Catholics,  / 
the  condition  of  the  multitudes  outside  of 
a few  cities  is  little  above  paganism. 

The  war  is  practically  over  ; the  islands 
are  ours,  and  though  a few  of  the  people  ' 
refuse  to  lay  down  their  arms,  still  carry- 
ing on  a sort  of  “ guerilla  •warfare,”  most 


8 


of  them  have  given  their  allegiance  to 
the  United  States  and  are  beginning  to 
reap  the  benefits  of  a more  liberal  gov- 
ernment. Socially,  the  conditions  are 
much  the  same  as  before  the  war.  With 
the  departure  of  the  friars  the  people 
have  been  relieved  of  a great  burden. 
They  are  reacting  strongly  from  Roman 
Catholicism,  and  are  more  and  more  open 
to  the  gospel. 

Beginning  of  Christian  Work. 

Immediately  after  the  occupation  of 
the  islands  by  the  United  States  forces, 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society 
sent  an  agent  to  Manila.  In  spite  of 
much  opposition  from  the  priests  he 
secured  a place  for  a depository.  His 
first  day’s  sales  were  twenty  Spanish 
Bibles,  seventeen  Testaments,  forty-eight 
separate  gospels,  one  English  Bible  and 
one  Testament.  After  time  enough  to 
learn  the  temper  of  the  people,  he  writes  : 
“ Make  known  to  the  missionary  world 
that  the  harvest  is  ripe  and  the  laborers 
are  few.  Who  will  be  in  haste  to  enter 
this  newly  opened  door  ? ” 

The  Presbyterians,  Methodists  and 
others  have  already  answered  this  call 
and  are  hard  at  work  in  this  new  and 
promising  field. 


9 


Opening  oF  Baptist  Work. 

The  circumstance  which  led  to  the 
opening  of  our  Baptist  mission  in  the 
islands  was  a most  interesting  providence. 

Rev.  Eric  Lund  had  been  the  honored 
and  esteemed  missionary  of  the  Union  for 
more  than  twenty  }-ears  in  Spain,  and  his 
knowledge  of  the  Spanish  language  and 
his  devotion  and  experience  seemed  to 
indicate  that  he  was  the  man  chosen  of 
God  to  begin  that  work. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Braulio  Manikan,  a 
young  Visayan,  educated  in  the  Philip- 
pine schools,  had  gone  to  Spain  for 
further  study,  and  had  become  an  infidel. 
He  was  designed  for  the  priesthood  and 
was  ambitious  to  become  a friar,  but  was 
thoroughly  disgusted  with  the  Romish 
Church.  He  was  led  to  visit  our  mission 
at  Barcelona,  conducted  by  Mr.  Lund,  and 
under  this  ministr)'  he  was  converted  and 
baptized.  Just  as  the  question  of  open- 
ing a mission  in  the  Philippine  Islands 
was  being  considered  by  the  Missionary 
Union,  a desire  was  born  in  his  heart  to 
return  and  carry  the  gospel  to  his 
countrymen. 

It  was  with  great  joj’,  therefore,  that 
these  two,  at  the  invitation  of  the  Plxecu- 


lO 


live  Committee,  sailed  March  24,  1900, 
from  Barcelona,  Spain,  to  Iloilo  on  the 
island  of  Panay,  to  open  the  American 
Baptist  Mission  in  the  Philippines.  They 
had  already  translated  and  printed  copies 
of  the  gospels  and  some  tracts  which  the)' 
carried  with  them. 

The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Manikan 
was  received  by  the  Committee,  which 
exhibits  his  fervent  and  steadfast  Chris- 
tian spirit  : 

" I have  received  your  brotherly  salutation  and 
Christian  love  through  Mr.  Lund,  for  which  I 
thank  you  very  much.  It  seems  to  me  no  one 
more  than  I ought  to  praise  God  for  what  he  has 
done  for  me.  I see  clearly  his  mercy  and  infinite 
goodness,  and  I will  always  sing  praises  to  Jeho- 
vah, my  God.  I hope  to  be  able  to  correspond  to 
your  remarkable  favors,  as  I desire  to  work  with 
decisionand  enthusiasm  to  evangelize  mycountry- 
meu.  I hope  they  will  not  refuse  the  Lord’s 
calling,  but  accept  Christ  Jesus  as  the  only 
Savior  given  to  the  world. 

“The  enterprise  will  be  arduous,  because  our 
countrymen  have  forsolonga  time  been  deprived 
of  the  light  through  the  errors  of  Catholicism, 
but  the  Christian  can  do  everything  through 
Christ,  who  comforts  him,  and  those  who  are  in 
Christ’s  hands  need  not  fear.  Besides,  I am  sure 
that  you  will  help  me  with  your  prayers,  which 
will  greatly  encourage  me.  I love  my  countrymen 
very  much,  therefore  I wish  they  had  the  riches 
that  I have. 

“ Though  I have  not  the  honor  of  knowing  any 
one  of  your  board,  I send  them  my  Christian  love, 
and  bidding  you  farewell  I place  myself  at  your 
disposal  in  the  Philippines,  where  I hope  to  be 
shortly.” 


II 


Manikan  entered  upon  the  work  with 
great  earnestness,  and  has  been  very 
successful  in  reaching  the  people  with  the 
gospel.  He  is  a hymn  writer  and  trans- 
lator and  Mr.  Briggs  says  of  him:  “ A few 
such  men  as  he  on  each  of  these  impor- 
tant islands,  with 
a spiritual  teach- 
er and  guide  like 
Mr. Lund  back  of 
them,  would  soon 
turn  these  islands 
upside  down.” 

Mr.  Lund  was 
joined,  near  the 
close  of  the  }^ear, 
by  Rev.  Charles 
W.  Briggs.  The 
reception  given 
these  workers  has 

REV.  C.  W.  BRUidS 

more  than  ful- 
filled the  expectation  with  which  the 
work  was  entered  upon.  The  situation 
is  one  of  promise  almost  unparalleled 
in  the  history  of  Christian  missions.  The 
people  of  the  islands  are  more  than  open- 
minded  toward  Protestantism.  They  seem 
ready  en  masse  to  embrace  it.  The  chief 
danger  is  that  of  merely  superficial  pro- 


12 


fession.  Romanism  has  had  its  day  in 
the  islands.  It  has  shamefully  misused 
the  opportunity  enjoyed  for  centuries,  and 
but  little  attachment  remains  for  that 
religion  among  the  people. 

“Here,”  writes  Mr.  Briggs,  “are  millions  of 
people,  many  of  them  as  bright  and  shrewd  and 
full  of  promise  as  can  be  found  in  America,  the 
official  estimate  ranging  from  eight  to  twelve 
millions.  They  are  clamoring  to  hear  the  gospel. 
They  have  never  heard  it,  but  they  have  heard  of 
it.  If  I could  preach  in  either  Spanish  or  Vis- 
ayan  I should  have  larger  audiences  than  throng 
any  church  in  America.  Calls  come  in  from  sur- 
rounding towns  for  the  ‘ padre  protestante  ’ to 
come  and  preach  to  them.  Believe  me,  there  has 
not  been  a greater  call  for  Christian  workers,  nor 
a more  urgent  call,  nor  one  that  promises  a 
greater  Pentecost  than  the  call  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  to  America  to-day.” 

Iloilo,  on  the  island  of  Panay,  was  the 
place  first  selected  for  the  headquarters  of 
the  mission.  This  was  occupied  for  nearly 
a year,  when  the  missionaries  removed  to 
Jaro,  a town  three  miles  north  of  Iloilo, 
and  thought  to  be  a more  favorable  loca- 
tion, as  a very  important  centre  of  trade, 
containing  the  greatest  market-place  in 
all  the  Visayan  Islands.  Mr.  Lund’s  work 
aroused  intense  interest.  Often  after  a 
service  in  an  outlying  village  the  simple 
country  folk  would  follow  him  three  hot 
miles,  back  to  Iloilo,  going  to  his  house 
for  a second  service.  This  work  was  pros- 


ecuted  amid  much  discomfort.  The  cli- 
mate is  intensely  hot,  and  the  house  in 
which  he  lived  devoid  of  comforts.  Never- 
theless, in  a little  more  than  one  year  he 
succeeded  in  laying  a strong  foundation. 
He  writes  : 

■‘Tracts  have  been  scattered  by  the  thousand, 
the  periodical  has  been  started  and  is  carrying 
the  truth  to  a number  of  towns  in  this  and  other 
islands,  a few  native  converts  are  already  teach- 
ing and  propagating  the  gospel;  the  whole  Testa- 
ment is  translated,  the  grammar  is  half  finished ; 
doctrinal  tracts  are  being  written.  My  helper  in 
the  work  of  translation  was  barbarously  mur- 
dered four  months  ago  by  the  Filipino  boxers. 
This  has  been  a great  loss  as  he  had  become  very 
intelligent  in  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment.” 

Again  he  write.s  of  the  common  people: 

” I wrote  you  recently  of  the  despised  ‘ pula- 
han  ’ whom  we  found  in  the  Jaro  market.  These 
are  the  people  who  fill  our  Jaro  chapel.  On  Sun- 
day they  continue  coming  to  Iloilo  where  we  as 
yet  have  our  home.  From  sixty  to  eighty  men 
and  women  used  to  stay  with  us  over  Sunday 
nights  sleeping  as  they  could  on  bare  floors. 
Manikan  has  the  names  of  more  than  two  hun- 
dred who  come  more  or  less  regularly  to  the 
meeting.  On  certain  days  our  new  Jaro  chapel 
is  too  small,  though  we  have  place  for  two  hun- 
dred people  in  it.  There  are  some  twenty  candi- 
dates for  baptism  among  those  who  are  receiving 
instruction  on  the  subject.  In  order  to  test  them 
and  teach  them  more  fully  the  ways  of  the  new 
life,  we  have  organized  them  into  a sort  of  En- 
deavor Society  to  evangelize  their  own  barrios, 
where  we,  on  account  of  the  war.  cannot  go  our- 
selves. At  present  they  have  started  four  Sunday 
schools  in  as  many  barrios. 


14 


‘•They  are  far  from  being  such  ‘ beasts  ’ as  the 
educated  Filipinos  consider  them  to  be.  On  New 
Year’s  morning,  for  instance,  those  simple  ‘ pul- 
ahans  ’ surprised  us  with  an  artistic  and  superb 
decoration  of  the  chapel  with  splendid  tropical 
plants,  twisted  palm  leaves,  some  wrought  into 
flying  birds,  and  luxurious  flowers.  An  elderly 
American  lady,  who  was  present,  said  with  tears 
of  joy  in  her  eyes  that  she  never  was  so  impressed 
by  any  religious  meeting  in  the  States  as  by  the 
meeting  that  morning  in  Jaro.  A few  of  these 
• pulahans’  are,  no  doubt,  really  converted.  They 
have  given  up  their  idols,  they  pray  in  our  meet- 
ings, they  speak  to  others  of  their  new  faith,  and 
they  suffer  persecution.  To  avoid  being  murdered 
by  a sort  of  Filipino  ‘boxers,’  one  of  them  has 
not  been  to  his  home  for  a long  time.  Peace  is 
being  established  in  the  province  now,  and  we 
may  have  baptized  a few  of  them  before  you  hear 
from  us  again. 

“ That  they  are  in  earnest  up  country  is  proved 
by  the  fact  that  they  have  already  buried  two  of 
their  people  without  the  priest,  and  brought  us 
babes  to  pray  for  instead  of  taking  them  to  the 
priest  to  be  christened.  This  week  we  rented  a 
house  in  Jaro,  so  we  no  longer  live  in  Iloilo.  We 
are  in  the  strategic  point  of  our  field,  live  in  a 
better  and  less  expensive  house  and  have  a large 
place  built  of  masonry,  for  the  long  expected 
printing  press." 

On  the  thirtieth  of  June,  1901,  forty- 
three  converts  were  baptized  at  Jaro,  and 
a church  was  organized.  Mr.  Briggs  says 
of  the  work  that  it  “is  growing  daily, 
like  the  church  after  Pentecost.’’ 

An  Interesting  Document. 

When  the  missionaries  had  been  in  the 
islands  less  than  a year,  they  were  handed 


a roll  containing  the  names  of  7,934  per- 
sons who  had  banded  together  to  leave 
Rome.  This  they  sent  to  the  Missionary 
Rooms.  Dr.  Mabie  says: 

“ The  roll  is  one  of  much  interest.  It  is  writ- 
ten in  Spanish,  and  entitled,  ‘ List  of  people  of 
this  company,  subject  to  this  town  of  Janiway, 
with  names  and  appellations.’  The  names  are 
analyzed  into  classes,  as  follows:  Head  men,  35; 
aged  and  sick,  310;  working  men,  1,466;  women 
liable  to  pay  taxes,  1,937;  young  people,  4,304 ; 
total  7,934.  While  indeed,  this  does  not  indicate 
that  this  great  number  of  people  have  become 
evangelical  Christians,  it  does  make  clear  that 
the  people  of  the  islands  are  tired  of  the  empty 
formalism  and  corruptions  of  the  mediaival 
Catholicism  which  Spain  long  impressed  upon 
them,  and  that  they  will  now  be  open  to  the  ap- 
proaches of  such  a simple  and  New  Testament 
Christianity  as  our  American  missionaries  are 
offering  them.  Who  can  doubt  that  God  is  lead- 
ing in  this  work  ?” 

IMr.  Lund  Returns  to  Spain. 

On  account  of  failing  health  Mr.  Lund 
was  obliged,  just  at  this  most  interesting 
juncture,  to  relinquish  the  work  and 
return  to  Spain.  It  was  with  great  regret 
that  he  took  this  step,  but  assured  that  it 
was  the  will  of  God  he  left  this  most  prom- 
ising work  in  his  hands,  and  in  the  care 
of  Mr.  Briggs  and  the  faithful  Manikan. 

Present  Outlook. 

Rev.  Stephen  S.  Huse,  Jr.,  and  Rev. 
George  E.  Finlay  joined  Mr.  Briggs  in 


16 


Panay  in  the  summer  of  1501 , and  already 
are  hard  at  work.  Dr.  T.  S.  Barbour, 
Foreign  Secretary  of  the  Missionary 
Union,  made  a visit  to  the  islands  in  No- 
vember of  the  same  year. 

More  than  one  hundred  have  been  bap- 
tized,and  before  Mr.  Lund  left  he  reported 

over  thirty  can- 
didates for  the 
ordinance, — 
some  men  quali- 
fied t o receive 
training  for 
preaching. — - and 
invitations  to 
preach  i n many 
places,  even  t o 
people  who  are 
ready  to  build 
their  own  chap- 
els. 

The  printing 
That  the 


KEV.  s 


HUSK,  JK. 

press  is  already  on  the  field, 
people  will  read  Christian  literature  is 
proved  by  recent  word  from  Mr.  Briggs: 
“ We  already  have  800  subscriptions 
for  El  Heraldo  at  fifty  cents  a year, 
and  more  than  half  paid  in.  At  the  rate 
our  subscription  list  grows  we  shall 


17 


soon  be  helping  support  the  mission  with 
the  press.  Next  month  we  increase  our 
edition  to  1,200  copies.” 

Our  Responsibility. 

Accordingto  an  agreement  among  them- 
selves, by  the  missionaries  on  the  field, 
Protestant  mis- 
sion work  in  the 
islands  of  Panay 
and  Negros  has 
been  given  into 
the  hands  of  the 
Baptists  and 
Presbyterians. 

Shall  we  accept 
our  share  of  this 
trust  and  answer 
the  call  of  God  to 
assist  in  lifting  rev.  g.  e.  fini.ay 
up  this  people  so  long  sunk  in  supersti- 
tion and  error  ? 

Shall  we,  w’hose  souls  are  lighted 
With  wisdom  from  on  high. 

Shall  we,  to  men  benighted 
The  lamp  of  life  deny  ? 

Salvation,  oh,  salvation, 

The  joyful  sound  proclaim, 

’Till  Earth’s  remotest  nation 
Has  learnt  Messiah’s  name. 


18 


Literature  Department. 

Historical  Sketches. 

Studies  in  Missions. 

Sunday-School  Lessons. 
Orient  Pictures. 

Cycle  of  Prayer. 


T H E 

BAPTIST  MISSIONARY 
MAGAZINE. 

LATEST  NEWS  FRO.M  THE  WORLD-FIELD. 

Special  Rates  to  Clubs. 


AROUND  TME  WORLD 

A Missionary  Paper 

FOR 

Young  People  and  Sunday  Schools. 


